North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy Killed in Brooklyn Park Plane Crash Near Crystal Airport

A small plane crash near Minneapolis killed North Dakota state Rep. Liz Conmy and the pilot shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport, authorities said.

“A small plane crash near Minneapolis kills North Dakota state legislator and the pilot MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A small plane crashed just after taking off from Crystal Airport north of Minneapolis on Saturday, killing a North Dakota state legislator and the pilot, authorities said”

Associated Press

The Associated Press reported that officers responded to a report of a small airplane crash at 11:51 a.m. and found an aircraft that had crashed and caught fire in a park in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, shortly after taking off.

Associated Press

Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said the plane crashed shortly after taking off, and he “wouldn’t say how many people were on the plane.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that two people were aboard, while the National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating a crash involving a Beech F33A airplane and expects investigators to arrive at the scene soon.

The North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party confirmed Conmy’s death in a social media post, calling her a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency.

“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy. Her death is a profound loss for our state,” the party said in a post on X.

The crash was reported as occurring in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of the Twin Cities, with multiple outlets describing the scene as a park area near Crystal Airport.

Several outlets placed the crash in the same narrow window, describing a departure from Crystal Airport north of Minneapolis and an impact in Brooklyn Park shortly after takeoff.

The Associated Press said the aircraft crashed and caught fire in a park in Brooklyn Park shortly after taking off, and it quoted Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe saying the plane crashed shortly after taking off.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

The North Dakota Monitor similarly described the crash as occurring shortly before noon Saturday in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and said the NTSB reported a Beech F33A airplane crashed in a residential area shortly after taking off from the Crystal Airport.

MPR News reported that the FAA said a Beechcraft BE33 crashed in a field in a residential area shortly after takeoff around noon, and it said Brooklyn Park police reported two people on board died.

The hometownsource update said the north end of Southbrook Park was taped off to the public while cleanup crews loaded debris, and it described the smell of smoke lingering as officials worked to keep the scene secure.

It also said Brooklyn Park officials were in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Flight path data in the hometownsource update said the plane, registered to a man from Nevis, Minnesota, took off from Crystal Airport approximately 10 minutes before noon and began to go left toward the park once in the air.

Official statements and local reporting tied the crash to specific people and to the start of a federal investigation.

The KFGO report said the NTSB was beginning investigation of the crash that killed two people, including a state legislator from Fargo, and it identified Democratic Rep. Liz Conmy as killed in the crash.

KFGO also reported that sources said the pilot was Joseph Cass, a retired orthopaedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

The Associated Press named Conmy as a North Dakota state Rep. Liz Conmy, of Fargo, and said her colleague, state Sen. Tim Mathern, told the Star Tribune.

The North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party confirmed Conmy’s death in a social media post and called her a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency, using the same language across multiple outlets.

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong offered condolences and, according to KFGO, directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of Conmy’s interment.

The North Dakota Monitor added that the NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway said a preliminary report from the NTSB is expected within 30 days, with a final report detailing the probable cause expected in one to two years.

Political and community reactions emphasized Conmy’s public service and personal character, with multiple named officials issuing statements.

The Associated Press reported that the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party confirmed Conmy’s death and called her a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency, quoting the party’s post on X.

KFGO

KFGO quoted North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong offering condolences Saturday to Conmy’s family, friends and fellow legislators, and it included Armstrong’s description of her service.

KFGO also quoted Democratic House Minority Leader Zac Ista of Grand Forks saying he is “completely devastated” and repeating the party’s themes of public education, the environment and transparency.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported that North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong released a statement saying, “Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators.”

FOX 9 also quoted North Dakota State Senator Tim Mathern saying, “Rep. Liz Conmy was my running mate and friend.”

The North Dakota Monitor added that Mathern said Conmy was still actively engaged in agriculture, running the farm near Langdon that she took over from her parents, and it quoted Mathern saying, “She had one foot out there in rural North Dakota and one foot in Fargo.”

Investigators and local authorities focused on the ongoing federal probe and on what information would be released as the wreckage was examined.

“Sunlight illuminates the exterior of the North Dakota House of Representatives and the state Capitol tower in Bismarck, N”

KELOLAND

The Associated Press said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a crash involving a Beech F33A airplane and expects investigators to arrive at the scene soon.

MPR News

The North Dakota Monitor reported that NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway said a preliminary report from the NTSB is expected within 30 days, with a final report detailing the probable cause expected in one to two years.

MPR News said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, and it described the scene as blocked off by first responders shortly after the crash.

The hometownsource update said Brooklyn Park officials were in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, and it said the departments were working together to conduct a complete and thorough investigation.

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul said the NTSB is expected to arrive on scene either Monday night or early Tuesday morning to begin a closer investigation of the wreckage, and it said more details could become available once investigators have examined the site.

Multiple outlets emphasized that the cause had not yet been determined, including FOX 9, which said, “The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.”